Keyed zither.



l 1,150,285. PatentedAug. 17,1915.

H.C.MARX.

KEYED ZITHER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.28. 1913- RENEWED 1AN.2.1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

H. C. MARX.

KEYED ZITHER.

APPLICATIONA FILED 11116.28, 1913. RENEwED 1AN.2.1915.

1,150,285. Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

2 sHEETs-sHEET 2'.

LEV f# COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0.,W^SH1N01'0N.D. c.

y UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

HENRY MARX, 0F PALMER, KANSAS, ASSIGN OR TO THE PHONOI-IARP COMPANY, 'i OF EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION' OF MAINE.

`KEYED ZITHEE.'

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 17 1915.

- Application led VAugust 28, 1913, Serial No. 787,157. Renewed January 2, 1915.4 Serial No. 255.

To all whom it may concern Be it known .that I,HENRY C. MARX, a citizen of-ztheUnited States, and a resident of Palmen-in the county of Vashington and State of Kansas, have-invented certain new and useful Improvements in Keyed Zithers, (Case 11,) of which thefollowing is a specication. Y

This invention has relation to musical instruments, and more vparticularly to means for playing the same.

In. Letters Patent N o. 1,044,553, granted to me, I have illustrated and described an attachment .or Vmechanism for playing a stringed instrument, in which are employed a plurality of vibratory spring lhammers having their rear ends affixed to -a`support, and having their free headed ends extending overy the strings, so arranged that, when each spring is depressed,itengages a stop arranged inA its path, and its head is caused either to strike a string once or a number of times vin rapid succession according to the length of time during which the spring is depressed. f

The present invention has for its object to provide an improved playing mechanism, which will have a greater durability, which -Will be easy to repair, and which will be sents an enlarged section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing one of the Ahammers and keys in normal position. Fig. 3 represents a similar section with the key depressed to cause the vibration of the hammer. Fig. 4 shows another form of key, in which the front or finger-engaged end is integral with the rear or heavier end.

- The instrument, to which the attachment is secured, is shownv as a Zither having the usual base 4 and sounding board 5, vspaced apart bythe usual frame including the hitch pin block 6 which forms the end of the body. The melody strings 7 (of which two are shown for each tone) are illustrated as being sufficient in number for two diatonic octaves, although of course the number or arrangement is not material. The k chord strings are arrangedV in groups as indicated at S. The instrument thus far described is like the well known Columbia Zither which has been on the market for a number of years.

To secure varied musical effects, it is desirable to employ a playing attachment, in which the hammers are capable of striking the string a single blow to produce a full clear note, and also of striking the string a number of times in quick succession to produce a sustained tonelike that produced by a mandolin. This is obtained by the employment of vibratory vspring hammers each having a head of su'flicient weight so that the momentum imparted-thereto by moving the spring will cause it to vibrate rapidly and impinge against the string at each vibration. Hence I employ such hammers, each consisting of a relatively thin steel spring v9 to which is attached at its free end a head 10. This head I preferably form of lead cast directly on the end of the spring, as the tone produced by the impingement of the leadl upon the string is sweet and pleasing. But, where a relatively long flexible spring is employed for this purpose, it is diiicult to secure accuracy in playing, for the reason that force is applied frequently in an oblique direction to the hammers which tends to force the heads sidewise and cause them to impinge u Jon the wrong strings. To obviate this diiliculty, I employ short springs with heads of sufficient weight to cause a proper vibration, and pivot the springs upon a pivot bar 11 so that it is not necessary to bend the springs to depress them. To this end, each spring is rigidly aiiiXed to a weight or block 12, made of wood, lead or other suitable material, and the block, at what I may term its front end, is apertured to receive the pivot at a point immediately adjacent the spring. The weights or blocks constitute parts of the keys, as will be explained.

The ends of the pivot bar are secured in two blocks or standards 13 adjustably mounted upon supports 14 by screws 15 passing through slots 16.

The blocks 12, the standards 13, the supports 14 and the pivot rod 11 are all inclosed within a boxlike casing, -which may be formed separately and attached to the end of the instrument, so as to be bodily removable therefrom. Said casing may, for eX- ample, havel endwalls 17, 18, which overlap and are detachably secured to the sides of the instrument, a bottom wall 19, the under face of which is flush with the under face of the base 4, a rear wall 20, and an upper wall 21, which walls form an oblon box, the front (i. e., away from the player? of which is open. The box covers the pin block, and obviates the use of the usual guard.

The blocks 12 are generally in the shape of a right angle triangle with one angle truncated, so that, when the blocks are at rest, one edge 12u is vertical and the other edge 12b is approximately,horizontal. Vhen the hammer is depressed, as shown in Fig. 3, the edge 12c is brought into horizontal position. The oscillatory movement of each block is limited by the upper and lower walls of the casing, `andthis for a purpose to be explained. The spring of each hammer may be secured by suitable fastenings tothe upper edge 12c of a block, or it may be otherwise attached to the block in some convenient manner. The bar 11 extends transversely of the `strings and occupies a vertical plane beyond the ends of the effective portions of the strings.

The wall 21l serves three important functions. It serves as a rest upon which the hand or wrist of the player may be placed, a guard for preventing4 interference with the action of the blocks, and a stop for limiting the movement of the blocks abruptly so as to cause the spring hammers to vibrate. Its edge is beveled to facilitate the easy manipulation of the hammers.

To the under side of the wall 21 is secured a strip 22 of cushioning material such as felt to deaden any sound consequent upon the impingement of a block thereagainst, and upon the bottom or lower wall 19 there is a strip 25 of felt or equivalent material on which the blocks normally rest.

To each hammer is secured a non-resilient linger-piece 23. This may be formed integrally with the block, as shown in Fig. 4, or, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, it may be formed of a small piece of sheet metal bent around the spring and firmly clamped thereon upon the block so that the key and block form a movable unit. The front end of each piece, when constructed as shown in Fig. 2, has an extension or tab 24 extending at an inclination to the spring to prevent the linger from slipping off longitudinally. The finger pieces project forwardly from under the wall 21 and are normally upwardly inclined so that the hammer head has a relatively long arcuate movement. The keys (comprising the portions 23 to be engaged bythe fingers, and the blocks 12) serve to pivot the hammers upon the bar 11, and also act as weights to restore the hammers to normal position when they are released. They are limited in their oscillatory movement by separated stops which consist of the cushion-shod walls 21 and 19. The wall 21 is so located that, when it is engaged by a block 12, the spring hammer lis some distance away from its corresponding string, as shown in rfull lines in Fig. 3. Hence, when the exposed portion of the key is depressed by the player, the hammer and block swing freely about the` pivot bar, until the movement of the block is abruptly checked, whereupon the inertia of the hammer causes it to continue its movementY and impin e upon the string. If the key be immediate y released, but one blow will be struck and the hammer will be returned to normal position. But, if the player continues to hold the key depressed, the hammer will vibrate rapidly, as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, and strike the string a number of times.

Each key is pivoted between its ends upon the pivot bar, and in referring to the depression of the key I mean of course to the depression of the front end or that portion 2 3 of the key which is on the same side of the pivot as the hammer, the heavier ends being termed the rear ends for the sake of distinction.

As in the attachment disclosed in the Letters Patent hereinbefore described, I employ means for checking the vibration of the hammers when released, such means comprising a cushion-shod bar 26. This bar consists of an elongated metallic strip, the longitudinal marginal portions 27 of which are doubled under to embrace and clamp a layer28 of felt or' like material. A filler 29 of like material but less in width is disposed between the strip and the layer 28, so that the face of the latter projects beyond the marginal portions 27 and prevents their being struck by the hammers. The bar as a whole is supported upon the ends of two springs 30 secured by suitable fastenings upon the inclined upper portions of the standards 13.

Between the blocks 12 I place washers 31 to separate them a slight distance.

The action, which I have herein described, responds to a delicate touch, and ei'ects are obtained which are very pleasing to the ear. By employing weights for restoring the hammers, I prevent an increasing resistance to pressure upon the keys, such as is incident to the use of springs, and I prevent the crystallizing action which causes the springs to break after being use for some time.

The removal of-the top wall 21 permits access' to the blocks, and the entire action may be` adjusted or removed by loosening or removing the screws 15. The hammers and their attached blocks may be slipped oi' the pivot bar for the replacement or repair of any of them, and may be reassembled in any order, as they areV all alike.

Of course it is not necessary that the casing orV box should be removable from the bodyl of the instrument, as it could be easily constructed as an integral part thereof. n

lt will be understood that various changes may be made inthe construction of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. If the rear portions of the keys be made of lead, they will be made correspondingly small.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described a way of making and using the same, although without attempting .to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes of its use, what I claim is 1. The combination with a stringed musical instrument, of a plurality of spring hammers each comprising a springstrip and a head therefor', a horizontal bar on which said hammers are fulcrumed, a weight connected to each hammer andV arranged in the rear of the said bar to hold the head of said hammer away from its .corresponding string, a stop for arresting movement of each hammer toward 'the string whereby said head is caused to vibrate, and a iinger piece attached toy each hammer and projecting on the opposite side of said bar from vthe weight and movable to cause the impingement of the hammer upon its string. Y

2. The combination with a stringed musical instrument, of a plurality of non-resilient keys, a spring-hammer attached to and extending from one end of each key and having a head on the free end thereof normally distant from its corresponding string, a bar on which said non-resilient keys are fulcrumed, each key having a portion between the pivot and the hammer head exposed for manipulation by the player, and a stop in the path of movement of each key for arresting the movement of the key, when the latter is operated to move the hammer from its normal position toward its corresponding string, whereby the head is caused to vibrate against the string.

3. The combination with a stringed musical instrument, of a plurality of non-resilient keys, a bar on which said keys are fulcrumed intermediate of their ends, a spring hammer extending from the front free end of each key, and a stop above the rear free ends of the keys to arrest the upward oscillatory movement thereof, whereupon thev momentum acquired by the head of the spring hammer causes it to vibrate against the string.

l. The combination with a stringed musical instrument, of a hand rest extending ytransversely of the strings, a bar extending longitudinally of said hand rest, a plurality of non resilient keys fulcrumed between their ends on said bar, the rear ends of said keys lying under said hand rest, and the front ends projecting beyond said hand rest and exposed for manipulation, spring hammers secured to and extending from the front ends of saidkeys, and a stop for arresting the upward vmovement of the rear ends of said keys whereby the hammers are t caused to vibrate.

5. The combination with a stringed musical instrument, of a plurality of non-resilient keys, a bar on which the keys may freely oscillate, a spring hammer carried by each key, and a hand-rest overhanging the rear portions of said keys, a front portion of each key when at rest extending above the plane of saidkhand-rest for manipulation.

6. The combination with a stringed musical instrument, of a bar arranged transversely of the strings, a plurality of non-resilient keys fulcrumed between their ends on said bar, separated stops between which the rear free ends of said keys may oscillate, and spring hammers projecting from the front ends of said keys and normally raised from the strings, and being moved into engagement with the strings by pressure applied to the front ends of said keys.

7. The combinationwith a stringed musical instrument, of a horizontal bar, a plurality of non-resilient keys fulcrumed between their ends on said bar, spring hammers carried by the front ends of said keys,

the rear ends of said keys being of suliicient weight to hold the hammers away from the strings in normal position, a hand rest arranged above the rear ends of said keys and forming a stop to limit the upward movement thereof, the front. ends of said keys projecting beyond said hand rest for manipulation by a player.

S. The combination with a stringed musical instrument, of a plurality of. spring hammers projecting over the strings, a plurality of blocks or weights to each of which the rear end of one of the hammers is affixed, a horizontal bar on which the front ends of said blocks or weights are fulcrumed, whereby the hammers are held normally away from the strings, exposed finger pieces on said blocks projecting forwardly from the said bar for direct manipulation and depression by a player, and a stop arranged to stop the movement of said blocks before the hammers engage the strings.

9. The combination with a Zither, of a casing attached to the end thereof beyond the strings and comprising upper and lower walls, a horizontal bar in said casing, a plurality of keys fulcrumed between their ends on said bar, the front ends of the said keys projecting out of the casing over the strings, and the rear ends being weighted and being located in the casing and limited in movement thereby, and spring hammers attached to the front ends of the keys, and comprising springs and heads on the free ends thereof, said spring hammers being normally elevated above the strings by the weighted rear ends of the keys, and being operated by pressure applied to the front ends of the keys.

l0. The combination with a stringed musical instrument, of a horizontalbar, a plurality of keys fulcrumed upon said bar, and having heavy rear portions, supports in which said bar is mounted, spacers on the bar between said keys, spring hammers projecting from the front ends of the keys and normally held away from the strings' by the heavy portions of said keys, and means for arresting the movement of the keys when the front ends are moved toward the strings, whereby the hammers are caused to vibrate against the strings.

1l. The combination with a stringed musical instrument, of a horizontal bar arranged transversely of the strings, a plurality of non-resilient keys fulcrumed on said bar, supports in which said bar is mounted, spring hammers projecting from .the ends of said keys, means for yieldingly holding each key with its spring hammer away' from its corresponding string, and means for arresting the movement of the keys when the hammer-carrying ends thereof are moved toward the strings, whereby the hammers are caused to vibrate against the strings.

l2. The combination with a stringed musical instrument, of a horizontal bar arranged transversely of the strings, va series of non-resilient keys fulcrumed between their ends upon said bar, a spring hammer extending from one end of each key, a cross bar arranged over the other ends of the keys to form a stop to arrest the operative movement of said keys whereby said spring hainmers are caused to vibrate against said strings.

13. The combination with a stringed musical instrument, of a series of non-resilient keys mounted above said strings, means for pivotally` supporting said keys, each key having a nger piece, a spring hammer projecting from each key on the same side of the pivot as the linger piece, and means for arresting the movement of said keys toward the strings to cause the vibration of said hammers against the strings.

14. The combination with a stringed musical instrument, of a series of pivotally mounted non-resilient keys extending longitudinally of the strings, means for pivotally supporting said keys, each key being provided with a finger piece, a spring hammer projecting from each key, each associated finger piece and hammer being on the same side of the pivot for the key, and means for yieldingly holding said keys in normal position with the hammers thereof vremote from the corresponding strings.

In testimony whereof I have afixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY C. MARX.

itnesses MARCUS B. MAY, A. L. FoLsoM.

Copies of thispavtent may be obtained for tive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. C,

i l l l 

